Groupe BPCE now offers instant payments to customers

Instant payment allows for the completion of account-to-account payments within 10 seconds. Groupe BPCE’s introduction of this new service – a first in France – offers many advantages for all categories of banking and insurance customers, be they individuals, merchants, companies or administrations.

Whether used for real-time compensation of insurance losses, flight purchases in Europe or inclusion in mobile banking services, instant payment is now a reality in France for Natixis Payments and Natixis Assurances clients and will shortly be available for Banques Populaires and Caisses d’Epargne customers.

Natixis Assurances becomes the first insurance company in France to offer clients a service providing for instant compensation of insurance losses. Immediately after presenting their insurance claims, insured customers will have their bank accounts credited in real-time with the compensation paid out.

Banques Populaires and Caisses d’Epargne are also set to be the first banks in France to offer an instant payment ordering and reception service, available 24/7/365. Come autumn 2018, the two retail banking networks will offer customers the chance to use their mobile banking service for instant payment, whether they want, for example, to reimburse family members, pay for second-hand goods purchased from other individuals or pay for work done by tradesmen at home.

In addition, Air France and Natixis Payments are today announcing a partnership that places Air France at the vanguard of efforts by French merchants to foster the take-up of instant payment. Through the partnership, Air France customers in Europe will soon be able to buy flight tickets or pay for a service with this new means of payment.

To mark this occasion, Groupe BPCE and Natixis Payments are publishing a white paper devoted to instant payment in partnership with Boston Consulting Group. The white paper focuses on the rollout of this new means of payment across the 34 SEPA-zone countries. The instant payment system facilitates exchanges in Europe and further the growth of e-commerce.

Natixis Payments provides digital payments for consumers and issuing and acceptance solutions for merchants. In addition to card payment and SEPA solutions, the company’s range includes third-party payment services and omnichannel acceptance solutions provided by Payplug and Dalenys in France and across Europe.